San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-02-01

nome, ana lllhl Was W ldht Eulln
alone.
"Do you particularly wish to go on
the pier" | asked.
~l'll 20 wherever you like" she said
| blandly although could see she would
have given anything to get rid OF me.
Don't you think you are wasting
valuable time with me? | know where
you want to go-to see the nameless
one. You can't deceive me"
Edith hesitated, and while she was
lnwardly debating, went on:
IL have not lived all this time in the
world without gaining some knowledge
of human nature. Come, Edith; you
know where he is.'
-Oh, Mr.. Merton" she said, what
wonderful penetration You have"
l could see she was laughing at me
In her sleeve, but was determined to
be magnanimous.
And now" / said, Il suppose you
intend to desert me for the nameless
one. i know he is lodging about some
where watching us, and suffering
pangs of jealousy. Go, my child, gol
Flap your downy wings in the sun
Edith beamed at me with eyes full
of pleasure.
II haven't got any wings to flap yeti
but will you let me go, reallyp'
let you, indeedH
IL thought, you know" said she, you
might have some absurd notion that l
was under your charge, but you are
far too clever and sensible for any such
foolish ideas. l never knew less mar
row-minded man than you, never! l
wish all people were like you'll"
"Flattererl Flatterer! l see through
1t all. Although | consider myself re-
sponsible for you behavior, gol Don't
keep the nameless one waiting in his
lair"
"You are the kindest man in the
world" said she.
And the most easily begmled," said
|, but don't imagine that I'm blind"
No, no, you are perfect lynx"
And off she went with joy in her
eyes, thinking no doubt my perceptions
were more akin to those of mole than
of the bright-eyed, prick-eared feline.
| went Oh the pier where the band was
playing; and he who played the drum,
a vigorous executant, was doing his ut
most to conceal the deficiencies of his
colleagues. Not finding this amusing
| went on the beach, and to me, medi-
Eating, there came boatman, who
commenced Fostering me to hire a
boat. Suddenly an idea occurred to me.
"I'll take canoe if you have a nice
one," said |, seeing several on the sea-
OF course he had; and in few minutes
/ was afloat in it, my embarkation
causing some mirth among the idlers
on the shore; but people at the seaside
will laugh at anything.
/ padded away toward the cliffs, fam
cying | might see the lovers at their
former trysting place and gain another
advantage over them. The sea was
very calm except where the tide swept
over reef of rocks, where the water
seemed to snarl and show CLEANS of
white teeth. Beyond was lonely boat
apparently drifting with the tide. AL
most before | was aware of it had
reached the troubled waters. The little
choppy waves began to splash over my
gunwale, and, while / was arranging
the waterproof over my legs, suddenly
to my dismay, my paddle fell into the
sea. Using my hands as oars L began
to prOpel myself laboriously toward the
paddle rising and falling in the most
tantaliZing manner few feet from me.
Just when l had reached it and was
leaning nervously forward to clutch it,
larger wave than usual struck me,
and | toppled over with stifled bel
low, and the water was Kissing round
my frightened ears. Coming to the
surface again, wildly shouting "Helpl"
| struck out for my tTeaCherOus craft
that iloated up side down few yards
from me.
Help! Helpl Help!" l clamOred
whenever the waves, which hit me
viciouSly in the mouth, would let me.
The canoe seemed drifting away, or
else my frantic efforts produced retro
erosion. Ny clothes were coiling
around me like clammy snakes; my
cries sounded like the shouts of some
one else; | was horribly, horribly
frightened, and my struggles were
growing feebler. Like in some night
mare, | could see the boat rowing to-
ward me. How slowly it appeared to
novel My body seemed turning to
lead. l don't believe any one ever had
such body, for suddenly it dragged
my head under in spite of its efforts to
keep above, and | felt as one might
feel shut up in gigantic bottle of soda
water at the moment some Titanic
hand drew the cork, the water Missed,
tizzled, and swirled so hideOuSly. As
1t closed over my crown, suddenly q
strong hand clutched me and dragged
me to the surface again, aud heard
above the awful, jubilant splashing of
the sea familiar voice uttering
know not what of encouragement.
Then somehow clutched the side of a
boat; there was a long struggle with
my inert body that could do so little
for itself; and finally found myself,